Relocating With Your Children

Be positive about
your new environment; children pick up parent's attitudes.

Maintain your family
schedule - Try to maintain a normal family environment as much as possible;
stress comes with change but maintaining a familiar structure will give
your children extra security needed in their new surroundings.

Take your child
with you when meeting new neighbors. This is a great way for them to
meet new friends

Check out child
and day care organizations thoroughly. Check references and talk to
parent who have children enrolled.

Take your child
to visit the school, meet the principal, secretaries, counselor, and
teacher; providing a familiar person for the child to seek out in case
of a problem will ease their introduction to the new community.

Make sure all
school records were transferred correctly; any errors could cause serious
problems in the future and should be taken care of immediately.

Seek academic
tutoring for child if he or she has dramatically different levels of
subjects in the new school.

Ask your child
questions about school, they may tell you about problems that may have
risen.

Attend school
functions, get acquainted with staff and other parents.

Encourage your
child to invite friends over to your new home, you will get a better
idea of your child's new friends.

Sign them up for
one or two activities, for sports, or lessons where social interaction
can present itself. Make your children feel a part of the community.

Try to meet the
parents of your child's friends. You will find out if you would like
your children to visit their homes.

Plan mini-adventures
around the city. The more they know about it the better more they will
feel at home.

If possible, allow
your child to buy some things common to the area: a skateboard, a bike,
clothing may not have been "necessities" in your previous home.

Allow your child
some "quiet time" with no commitments. Children need to internalize
the new change.